Wick-trimmer



(No Model.)

G. R. BURR.

WICK vTmvuvmI No. 465,125. Patented Dec. 15, 1891,

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UNITED lSTATES PATENT OEEICE.

Ol-IAUNOEY R. BURR, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

WICK-TRIMIVIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 465,125, dated December15, 1891.

Application filed April 23, 1891. Serial No. 390,078. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom t may concern:

Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, haveinvented a new and Improved Tick-Trimmer, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description.

The object ofthe invention is to provide a new and improved wick-trimmerspecially designed for accurately and conveniently trimming circularwicks on a burner without the operator soiling his hands or the lamp.

The invention consists, principally, of a ring adapted to engage theoutside of the wick to be trimmed and a knife mounted to turn in theopening of the said ring and adapted to engage and cut from the insideof the wick.

The invention also consists of certain parts and details andcombinations of the same, as will be hereinafter fully described, andthen pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of the improvement as applied.Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of the same, with the knife in alocked central position. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the improvement, andFig. l tis a sectional plan view of the same on the linea: cc of Fig. 2.

The improved wick-trimmer is provided with a ring A, formed on its underside with a number of pins or projections B, arranged in a circle andadapted to fit upon the outside of the burner O so that the ring A isheld concentrically on the burner. On the inner edge of the ring Aisformed acircular groove A', arranged opposite which is the cut-tingedgeof a knife D, said cutting-edge being preferably arranged segmentally,as plainly illustrated in Fig. 4t. The knife D is secured on the lowerend of a shaft E, lnounted to turn in a hub F, projecting eccentricallyfrom a wheel G, mounted to turn in suitable bearings in a ring H, formedwith lugs H secured on the top of the ring A. On the up per end of theshaft E is pivoted at I a handle I, extending over a disk J having a serrated edge, and connected by a post I( with or recess J', formed in thetop of the said disk J. The free end of the handle I projects slightlybeyond the rim of the disk J, the side surfaces ofthe said part I5 beingroughened,- as plainly shown in Fig. 3, so as to give a iirm hold to thefinger of the operator. From the under side of the wheel G extends ashort disk, to the hub G of 4which is secured one end of a spring VL,extending to and coiled around the lower end of the sleeve F to fastenwith its otherendin a suitable notch D in the knife D.

The operation is as follows: Then the operator holds the disk J andturns the handle I into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3,then the pin l2 engages the recess J so thatthe handle I is locked tothe said disk J. By this movement of the handle I the shaft E is turnedso that the knife D, held on the said shaft, swings into a centralposition, as plainly indicated in Fig. 2, and at the same time thespring L is compressed. Vthen the device is in this position, it isplaced over the burner C, to be trimmed in the manner pre viouslydescribed, whereby the wick is en gaged at its outside by the inner edgeof the ring A, while the knife D extends within the circular wick. Nowwhen the operator desires to trim the wick he swings the handle slightlyupward to disengage the pin I3 from the recess J', and when the operatorreleases the handle I the spring L, acting on the knife D, turns thelatter to move the segmental cutting-edge in contact with the inside ofthe wick opposite the inner edge of the ring A. lVhen the operator nowturns the disk J from left to right, at the same time pressing on thehandle I, then the wheel G is moved, thus carrying by the sleeve F theknife D around, at the same time forcing, by the pressure on the handleI, the cutting-edge of the knife into contact with the wick, so that thelatter is cut from the inside,the cut-off part falling upon the topsurface of the ring A. As soon as the wick has been completely cut offor trimmed the operator can lift the device off 0f the burner. Ifdesired, the knife D may be first swung back into a central position bythe operator moving the handle I into the position Vshown in dottedlines in Fig. 3, so that the pin I2 engages the recess J It will be seenthat by this device the upper IOO end of the Wick can be very accuratelyand evenly trimmed, as the ring A, with the knife D, is in the properrelative position to the burner C. Any desired length of the Wick can betrimmed off, as the ring I-I is a suitable distance above the ring'A, soas to permit of raising the Wick above the ring A a distancecorresponding to the wick to be cut off.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patentl. In a Wick-trimmer, the combination,With aring adapted to engage the outside of the wick, of a knife mounted toturn in the opening of the said ring and adapted to engage and cut fromthe inside of the Wick, substantially as shown and described.

. 2. In a wick-trimmer, the combination, with a ring adapted to engagethe outside of the Wick, of a spring-pressed knife mounted to turn inthe opening of the said ring and lformed with a segmental or curvedcuttingedge, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a Wick-trimmer, the combination, with a ring adapted to lit upon aburner land. adapted to engage With its inner edge the outside of theWick to be trimmed, of a knife having a segmental cutting-edge andmounted to turn Within the opening 0f the said ring opposite the inneredge of the same, a shaft carrying the said knife, and a wheel mountedto revolve, and in which the said shaft is journaled, substantially asshown and described. 4. In aWick-trimmcr, the combination,with a ringadapted to fit upon a burner and adapted to engage with its inner edgethe outside of the Wick to be trimmed, of a knife having A a segmentalcutting-edge and mounted to turn within the opening of the said ringopposite the inner edge of the same, a shaft carrying the said knife, aWheel mounted to revolve, and in which the said shaft is journaled, anda spring held on the said Wheel and adapted to press upon the said knifeto turn the shaft of the latter in its bearing, substantially as shownand described.

5. In a Wick-trimmer, the combination, With a ring adapted to fit upon aburner and adapted to engage with its inner edge the outside of the Wickt0 be trimmed, of a knife having a segmental cutting-edge and mounted toturn Within the opening of the said ring opposite the inner edge of thesame, a shaft carrying the said knife, a Wheel mounted to revolve, andin which the said shaft is j ournaled and a disk connected with the saidWheel for conveniently turning the latter, substantially as shown anddescribed.

G. In a Wick-trimmer, the combination, with a ring adapted to fit upon aburner and adapted to engage with its inner edge .the outside of theWick to be trimmed, of a knife having a segmental cutting-edge andmounted to turn Within the opening of the said ring opposite the inneredge of the same, a shaft carrying the said knife, a Wheel mounted torevolve, and in which the said shaft is journaled, and a handle held onthe said shaft for turning the same in its bearings, substantially asshown and described.

7. Ina Wick-trimmer, the combination, with a ring adapted to fit uponaburner and adapted to engage with its inner kedge the outside of theWick to be trimmed, of a knife having a segmental cutting-edge andmounted to turn Within the opening of the said ring opposite theinner-edge of the same, a shaft carrying the said knife, awheel mountedto revolve, and in which the said shaft isjournaled, a handle held onthe said shaft for turning the same in its bearings, and a diskconnected With the said Wheel for turning the latter, and to Which thesaid handle is adapted to be locked, substantially as shown anddescribed.

8. In aWick-trimmer, the combination, with a ring provided with lugsadapted to engage a burner, and a second ring supported above the saidfirst-named ring, of a knife held to turn in the opening of thefirst-named ring, a shaft supporting the said knife, a wheel mounted toturn in the said second ring and formed with a hub carrying the saidshaft, a spring held on the said Wheel and pressing on the said knife7and a disk for turning the said wheel, substantially as shown anddescribed.

9. I n a Wick-trimmer, the combination, with a ring provided with lugsadapted to engage a burner. and a second ring supported above the saidfirst-named ring, of a knife held to turn in the opening of thefirst-named ring, a shaft supporting the said knife, a Wheel mounted toturn in the said second ring and formed with a hub carrying the saidshaft, a spring held on the said wheel and pressing on the said knife, adisk for turning the said Wheel, and a handle held on the said shaft andadapted to be locked to the said disk, substantially as shown anddescribed.

CI-IAUNCEY R. BURR. Witnesses:

GEORGE 0. G. COALE, EVA A. GUILD.

IOC

